What election goodies are in store and why they won't work in GE-13

Election goodies will just remain as what they are; election goodies!

But what happens once the election is over? Back to square one where the plundering of national asstes and resources continues for the next 4-5 years to make up for the goodies given previously?

Pundits may have got it right when they say that the election goodies are a way to sway the fence sitters since they have not made up their minds.

But if the majority of the people have already made up their minds over whom they will vote for the 13th General Election, then whatever goodies are showered on them will not have any effect on the voters.

On the other hand who are the recipients of these goodies? The cronies, the elites and the very well connected? Or the improverished and marginalized people. At the end of the day, it is not the Budget paper per se but what actually trickles down to the masses.

What do they get, and what have they got after all these years?

'Goodies' now, 'baddies' in the future

Anyway, let's have a look at people say is likely to come in Budget 2012, beginning with Prime Minister Najib Razak himself.Najib, who is also Finance minister, is due to table it on Octiber 7.

He has hinted at another round of economic liberalisation. The Budget will also tackle rising costs and be people-caring and people-friendly.

At a pre-budget dialogue, Najib also hinted at possible cuts in personal and corporate taxes once the goods and services tax (GST) was implemented.

And just in case that is not enough to thrill the people into giving the BN another mandate in GE-13, he has also promised higher bonuses for civil servants.

"Let’s wait and see. I’m fond of giving surprises,” Star reported him as saying.

For someone so 'shy', he sure has already given lots of hints as it is! Malaysians can be sure it will be a 'buy' Budget. All frills and nice little pieces of lace but nothing concrete to turn Malaysia from bankruptcy in 2019. No real or much-need long-term structural reforms!

Meanwhile, the Umno-owned presses such as the Utusan and Berita Harian family have hinted at possible tobacco rises. So 'sin' taxes might kick in to replace the 6 per cent mobile phone service tax that Najib had to drop after a huge public outcry.

Without corruption tackled, what can possibly change?

But regardless of what is finally announced, if a corrupt government is in charge of this country’s finances then there is very little hope even if the goodies are really good.

Pundits say it will just remain on paper and doesn’t add any value to the people's lives. Too much leakages and wanton discrimination is the order of the day!

Can Malaysians trust the UMNO-led government to deliver the goodies. There is widespread doubt! The annual Auditor-General report is a chilling reminder of endemic and entrenched and mind youcorruption is at all levels of the government. And the Auditor's report is just the tip of the iceberg.

Nothing much changes. So, what’s next?

Sending a message

Since Najib is very likely to call for GE-13 in November, perhaps it is time for the people themselves to send a message that it is the ruling government that needs to change. Don’t waste more of the country's already scarce resources trying to convert fence-sitters to become BN voters.

Malaysians need a re-set! Why not reset the BN government which, after more than 50years at the helm, has driven the country into a spot between a rock and a hard place both economically and socially?

That is the line of thinking of a large cross-section of the population. Their battle-cry seems to be, "Reset our country so that the direction the country takes will be beneficial to its people who matter the most. Reset and change must be our battle cry till BN falls".

Perhaps, this group, which is growing so fast and may have already overtaken the traditional BN audience, is not wrong. Perhaps, this will be the best election goodie Malaysians could ever have for this year. Real change!

- Malaysia Chronicle